Presents
Paul Viardot
Violin Sonata No.3 in a minor
Paul Viardot (1857-1941) was born in the French town of Courtavenet. His mother, Pauline Viardot, was a famous singer. He attended the Paris Conservatory where he studied violin with Hubert Leonard and composition with Cesar Franck and Theodore Dubois. He became a prominent soloist and enjoyed considerable success particularly in France and England. Faure dedicated his first violin sonata to him.
Virtually all of Viardot's compositions are for the violin. His Violin Sonata No.3 is a late work but dates from 1931 at which time the composer was 74 years old. The opening movement, Allegro molto moderato, is characterized by the violin playing searching melodies over a kind of soft tremolo in the piano. The second movement, Andante, is subtitled Recueille (meditation) which aptly describes the mood. It opens with a long piano introduction before the violin enters with a substantial recitativ. It is overall a calm and quiet movement, slightly sad. The third movement, Scherzo, is subtitled La mechante boiteuse (the wicked lame woman). However, this subtitle seems to bear little relevance to the music other than its rhythm. The mood is generally lively, interspersed with lovely lyrical interludes. The finale, Tres calm, once again bears a subtitle--Tristesse, Colere, Resignation (sadness, anger, resignation). It begins calmly, the middle is agitated and then it dies away softly.
Parts: $24.95
